Featured Company: Ink on the Run
Anthony Davis | Director | Ink on the Run
Though not yet surveyed or rated by topfranchise.com.au we had a chance to catch up with Anthony Davis, Director of emerging franchise system Ink on the Run who is part of the topfranchise intelligence club to learn more about this growing mobile franchise group.
Ink on the Run provides a personalised door to door service up and down the east coast of Australia delivering ink cartridges. Ink on the Run have a strong environmental focus, a great range of different cartridges for a variety of office printers, and a 100% money back guarantee for their customers. But Director Anthony Davis says the key to Ink on the Run's success is a proactive attitude toward customer service that can be summed up as "I care and I can do". With this attitude toward customer service, and their ability to save their customers time and money, it is little wonder that Ink on the Run are one of the fastest growing mobile franchise systems in the print consumables market place.
Getting your foot into a franchise business
In the past, Ink on the Run found word of mouth to be a successful marketing tool as half of their franchisees came from word of mouth recommendations by existing franchisees. This was an indicator that there was good sentiment floating around the franchise system.
Today, word of mouth is still a viable way for entering a franchise business with existing franchisees recommending Ink on the Run to family members, especially if they live in different regions. As Ink on the Run continues to rapidly grow into a recognised mobile franchise, other avenues such as online marketing are proving to be even more successful than word of mouth.
But what exactly makes Ink on the Run a desirable business opportunity? What is it that keeps them afloat in the sea of franchising opportunities in Australia ?
Other than the fact that the print consumables market is growing, unlike so many industries, with nearly every home and office having one if not multiple printers, the thing that really sets an Ink on the Run franchise apart from other franchise opportunities is the lifestyle factor.
Passion and flexible lifestyle: the drawing cards of a mobile franchise business
A present concern amongst many people is finding a job that supports both their work and lifestyle needs. Being a mobile franchise, Ink on the Run is a flexible franchise system where franchisees get to choose when they work and how long they work for: "for example, we have a lot of franchisees who are around retirement age. A lot of the time they are looking for a job that is flexible and doesn't run at a hectic pace and at Ink on the Run they get the choice to work at a pace that is suitable to them" says Davis.
Another factor is the level of passion that their current franchisees have for their brand, products and services. Franchisees commonly believe that Ink on the Run is the leader in mobile refilling and see the signage on the vans as one of their greatest marketing tools. Franchisees have also been commenting on the marked improvement in systems put in place by Ink on the Run head office over the last year, with the ability to communicate immediately with them at any time.
Franchisees never miss job opportunities and feedback from clients, as they are dispatched to them directly from Head Office via SMS or email, as soon as they are received by the 1800 call centre or website.
Another useful tool that allows franchisees to further develop their knowledge and skills is an online forum which they use to both communicate between themselves and the franchisor. The forum has proven to be a really successful tool for communication, sharing of knowledge and social interaction. Anybody is free to talk about anything from tips, new product lines and ideas in selling. They are also free to ask questions and receive advice on how to best assist a particular client.
The level of support you will need to receive to run your franchise business successfully
Ongoing training and support is crucial to the success of any franchise system and Ink on the Run takes this aspect very seriously. Printers are constantly changing and so are the consumables that are used in them. One of the most important elements in such a dynamic market is research and development. The Ink on the Run research and development team continually keep abreast of the latest changes, and make sure that franchisees are kept up to date and trained. "On a weekly basis I send emails back and forth to our franchisees ensuring they are kept up to date with the latest cartridges, technologies and refilling techniques" says Davis. Furthermore, ongoing efforts and negotiations are made by Head Office with suppliers to secure better quality products and pricing, and this, along with ongoing marketing campaigns promoting the benefits of the Ink on the Run's value proposition, ensures that Ink on the Run franchisees can remain competitive in the market.
A good way to assess franchise opportunities is to look at how many current franchisees renewed their original franchise agreement when it expired. Davis said “Our franchisee renewal rate is very high and in the last year every one of Ink on the Run franchisees renewed their contract: the main reasons for the renewals are that franchisees can see the potential of the mobile franchise and print consumable market. In this regards, franchisees have the potential to make greater income and hence maintain a desirable lifestyle.”
Ink on the Run encourages franchisee expansion and sees it as a "win-win" situation for both the franchisee and the franchisor. “Through the expansion and growth of the franchise, Ink on the Run continues to grow in popularity by reaching a bigger market. In turn, as the brand grows franchisees will have the benefit of more work flowing through. One of the other benefits of working with a fast growing group is that a more recognized franchise system can attract a premium upon sale.” says Davis.
To learn more about franchise opportunities within the Mobile franchise sector refer to Mobile Franchise.
To find out more about Ink on the Run Franchise view their listings page.
